SPOTR – Beyond Fitness Tracking

the problem

Returning to exercise after an injury or extended period of inactivity can be challenging. Without immediate feedback or professional guidance, gym-goers may struggle to recognise compensatory movement patterns that hinder form and potentially create poor movement habits for long-term. Returning and having to physically regress in the weight they were once able to work with can lead to a negative loop where motivation and commitment dies out due to a loss of progress or feeling like they’re not making progress.

While they may record their own workouts or rely on occasional feedback from trainers/physiotherapists – there is an inherent desire for something that can help provide feedback and guidance on their workouts independently. SPOTR fills this gap – making movement awareness and progress tracking more accessible, helping users to not only build confidence but create positive engagement & commitment when returning to the gym.

“There’s compensation everywhere… when you have bad form and you don’t know… you can really stick to it because it’s comfortable for you and your body adapts to it.”

interview with physiotherapist

“You mostly just think, oh… if I’m able to do the task… then I’m doing it right.”

Interview with gym-goer

Initial concept development – how we got here

prototyping – form iteration & user-testing

The solution

SPOTR is a portable smart fitness system that combines an AI-assisted camera, pressure sensing gym mat and companion app that not only provides real-time feedback but also help the user to stay engaged and committed to their journey.

The camera’s versatile magnetic base mounts, tracking body positioning and movement patterns by assigning nodes at various joints while the mat monitors foot placement, stability and weight distribution. Together it helps to identify areas for improvement and visualise progress over time to celebrate small
milestones even for the bad days.

Through the companion app, users can see a review of their session, monitor improvements and follow personal workout programs that can be guided by their own physiotherapist – turning into a personal log of their progress to review for each session. Designed for gyms and home environments, SPOTR supports informed, confident and independent exercise.

spotr – features/design aspects

design aesthetic

The camera body design features a recognisable silhouette that any gym goer can be familiar with as a kettlebell – immediately giving the impression of what the purpose of context is. Further pushing this agenda is the subtle yet important use of premium leather on its handle to match the black gym leather that’s commonly seen while providing functional value for improved grip as the main contact point for moving the camera and lifting it.

creating positive habits in the gym through user-experience

When first setting up the mat and unrolling it, the user will have to calibrate with the system by doing the instructed warmups and stretches. This not only allows the camera and mat to form a general user profile baseline that compares data across each session but also acts as a step to ensure that the user does their stretches and warmups prior to each gym session. This helps to alleviate risk of injury and help soothe pain while reinforcing good habits that otherwise might be neglected.

Addressing gym privacy concerns related to recording

A big concern raised originally was the ethics of filming within a gym space, especially with it becoming a more common yet highly opinionated topic. Rest assured the camera uses an infrared camera module that records via thermal imaging, helping to obscure details that otherwise would identify and infringe people’s privacy while still being accurate enough to examine form. To further enforce this is an AI system that automatically recognises and blurs any faces before being processed and saved onto its internal memory, ensuring that no copy of unblurred faces can be traced back, allowing the user to confidently reassure anyone concerned.

easier access to physiotherapists

A core aspect of SPOTR is its ability to integrate both physiotherapist and personal trainer input, allowing for a more personalised and supportive fitness experience.

Through the companion app, physiotherapists and trainers can develop tailored workout plans, recommend exercises that can cater to an individual’s needs and capabilities, while temporarily restricting certain exercises based on their recovery progress or physical limitations. This helps them to navigate their fitness journey with greater confidence while encouraging safer and more informed decisions at the gym.

With the user’s permission, recorded exercise data and footage can be shared to their physiotherapist or trainer, allowing them to remotely monitor progress, assess movement patterns and provide timely feedback between appointments. These also serve as an accessible visual reference during future consultations, helping both users and professionals review improvements, identify areas that require attention and make informed adjustments to their exercise plans, all while feeling personally relevant to the user.

By recording progress over a time period, the user can see in real time the progress that they are making, celebrating the small wins even on days where they may feel like they cannot see any progress or are just needing some motivation.

“We see like a million patients a day… getting a really good documentation of their progress like where they’re at and when they’re at as well so we can look back at it too.”

interview with a physiotherapist

Versatile magnetic mounting

Designed with versatility and convenience as the forefront of the design’s essence, SPOTR features a magnetic docking system that allows the camera to seamlessly attach and detach from the gym mat. The camera and mat work together to provide comprehensive analysis on form and stability where the mat’s sensors can signal the camera to auto pan/tilt towards the user to have them in frame while also being able to wirelessly charge on the mat to be charged together as one unit when plugged in. For exercises involving resistance machines or that do not require the mat, the camera can be used independently, either using an optional flexible tripod mount or using its existing magnetic base to attach to any metal surface nearby. This gives it the unique adaptability to support a wide variety of exercises and workout environments without compromising portability or ease of use.

ease of portability

On top of convenience, it’s been designed with portability in mind – with SPOTR featuring a small camera body that can easily be placed in a bag and a flexible gym mat that can easily be rolled up and secured using integrated adjustable buckle straps. This compact design enables it to be easy to carry, store and transport between environments, allowing the users to seamlessly incorporate SPOTR into their fitness routine without the hassle of carrying bulky equipment.

display screens

The camera body and gym mat both have displays that provide quick visual information to the user with minimal interruption to the workout itself. The user will able to workout and immediately tell if there’s something wrong with their form, minimising the interference of having to use an app during the workout.

exploded view – componets/assembly

The exterior housing of the camera body is designed to be injection molded and assembled via 2 halves of the main body, using PC-ABS plastic that helps to provide a balance of durability, impact resistance, and a lightweight construction suitable for the context. It will have a matte black finish that is complemented by a polyurethane leather handle grip for improved comfort and portability. Internally, the camera incorporates an infrared camera module, touch display, control PCB along with a processor and a rechargeable battery. It also features pan and tilt motors that give the camera the ability to automatically adjust the camera’s viewing angle alongside a magnetic base and wireless charging receiver embedded.

As for the gym mat, the design consists of two layers of high-density TPE foam that provide cushioning, flexibility and durability while being able to roll and be buckled up for transportation as seen in the video a while back. Sandwiched in these layers is an integrated pressure sensor array and flexible circuit that is design to detect foot placement and weight distribution during exercises. At both the top and bottom sides of the mat features an injection molded PC-ABS electronic housing unit that houses the main control PCB, rechargeable battery, light diffuser strips and the display module, allowing users to view info and feedback from the display as opposed to their phones, keeping the set a seamless experience. The housing also incorporates a magnetic docking point for the camera that also acts as a wireless charging station so that when the mat is being charged, the whole unit assembly can be charged in the process. The underside features rubber feet and adjustable nylon webbing straps with POM buckles that help stability and portability.

final prototype model